True Bug under dead Opuntia pad, Chelinidea vittiger? - Chelinidea hunteri

Can you explain how this indi

Can you explain how this individual matches this part of the description? "Lateral margins of collar parallel sided, collar sharply delimited by a deep incisure from the rest of pronotum"

Maybe I don't know what is meant by the collar.

… Victor Engel, 17 September, 2018 - 10:52am

This may help...

This is a close-up of the collar in a different specimen.

… Jason Botz, 27 September, 2018 - 6:24pm

BTW, one feature that I notic

BTW, one feature that I noticed that doesn't seem to get much notice in the descriptions is the posterior edge of the pronotum. On hunteri, it seems to be very rounded. On the others, it's more angular. I say that just from the pictures I've seen.

… Victor Engel, 27 September, 2018 - 6:42pm

Thanks. I was looking at it t

Thanks. I was looking at it trying to place my entry:

which I've concluded is probably vittiger even though it doesn't match all the items in the description. I noticed the shape of this feature is very dependent on the angle from which the photo is taken.

… Victor Engel, 27 September, 2018 - 6:32pm

Hind edge of pronotum

does seem to be angular in most of the other species, but some variants of C. vittigera (judging by illustrations in Herring 1980) have a similarly rounded hind margin.

… Jason Botz, 27 September, 2018 - 7:00pm

Moved

Moved from Chelinidea.

… margarethe brummermann, 3 January, 2011 - 2:59pm

By comparison

with UAIC specimens and the detail that Swani mentioned, it's hunteri

… margarethe brummermann, 3 January, 2011 - 2:58pm

Not vittiger but...

one of the other three species. Characters of the profemur and anterior pronotal angles help to separate but most of the other characters are based on coloration. If I had to venture my opinion, I'd say probably C. hunteri but in no way would I suggest placing this beyond genus.

… drswanny, 17 February, 2009 - 8:28pm

Teneral?

This guy was so immaculate and fresh that I'm not sure he already had his final colors.

… margarethe brummermann, 17 February, 2009 - 10:34pm

Valid point...

and I usually forget to consider that possibility so I thank you. Additionally the review of Chelinidea states some C. vittiger retain this very pale coloration and a few "authentically identified" specimens in the museum look similar to this one. Nevertheless that shouldn't change the future destination of this photo. The other three species are also pale and can be found in AZ. I'm pretty sure that C. canyona and C. tabulata can be eliminated from consideration since they possess rather prominent projections at the anterior pronotal angles. However, without a lateral shot of the profemur and/or a more detailed shot of the anterior pronotal angles, I still think this should remain at genus.

… drswanny, 19 February, 2009 - 2:17pm

I'll get those shots

when it comes out of the freezer

… margarethe brummermann, 19 February, 2009 - 4:37pm

Images

Did you take those shots? They would be a nice addition.

… John R. Maxwell, 3 January, 2011 - 3:02pm

No, the microscope at the UAIC

can do what my camera cannot. We may get imaging equipment soon though

… margarethe brummermann, 3 January, 2011 - 6:46pm

Oh wonderful!

That gives either a new species for the guide or another example of variability within a species, both excellent additions to the guide. I look forward to the shots.

For the femur shot, we need to know whether the profemur is dorsally carinate or rounded and the number/arrangement of teeth on the ventral surface. The anterior pronotal angle will either have a small notch or be smoothly rounded.

… drswanny, 19 February, 2009 - 9:58pm

Wish I could help...

...but I have no idea :(

Just want to thank you for finding another amazing bug and posting yet another wonderful bug image!

… Ron M., 17 February, 2009 - 8:01pm

My pleasure:

there aren't many beetles yet, and I find these true bugs very attractive

… margarethe brummermann, 17 February, 2009 - 10:35pm